Process for purifying gas



Patented 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OSCAR W. LUSBY, 01' BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASBIGNOR TO WILBER'I' J. HUFI', OI

BALTIIOBE, MARYLAND PROCESS FOR PURIFYIIG G48 Ho Drawing. Original application filed January 28, 1928, Serial No; 250,888. Divided and this application flied April 9, 1929, Serial No. 858,895, and in France January 22, 1929.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 250,338, filed Jan. 28, 1928.

The removal of organic sulfur from gases v has heretofore been attempted through the use of solutions or solid absorbents, or by the use of such catalysts as nicliel' at elevated temperatures. The removal of organic sulfur is important in connection with the purification of gas for domestic use and especially in connection with the purification of gas to be used in the synthesis of organic compounds by catalytic methods.

I have discovered that catalysts comprising certain combinations consisting originally of metals, or their oxides or hydroxides, of the sixth and seventh groups of the periodic system of elements according to Mendeleef as shown in the table on ages 474 and 4750f the Chemical Rubber andbook of Chemistry and Physics by Hodgman and Lange, 13th edition, 1928, are extremely active and permanent. These catalysts are preferably operated above 200 0., no upper limit being specified when the organic sulfur is not accompanied by hydrogen sulfide. It has been found,.however, that there is a tendency at high temperatures to synthesize organic sulfur when hydrogen sulfide is present in the gas and that, at suitable'space velocities,.the substantially complete conversion of the organic sulfur to hydrogen sulfide, even in the presence of additionalamounts of hydrogen sulfide, can be cifected at lower temperatures. 1

. I have further found that oxides-of elements of the sixth group of the periodic system, when combined with oxides of elements of other groups, especially of the first to fifth,

inclusive, and of the eighth, groups. are especially efiective in the conversion of organic sulfur intohydrogen sulfide. For instance, experiments have indicated to be efiective uranium and 50% copper uranium and 20% cerium.

The catalysts: may be coated on a carrier,

such as pumice or broken firebrick, or' used without a carrier. When a carrier is employed, the catalysts may be prepared by the addition of solutions of the nitrates or other compounds of the components of the catalysts to a carrier and heating the mixture to decompose the compounds, leaving an intimate mixture of the oxides of the metals on the carrier, or they may be precipitated on the carrier from solutions of their salts, such as their nitrates. When no carrier is used, the catalysts may be prepared in a form resistant to crumbling, either by precipitation from a mixture of solution of salts of their components, and subsequently washing and compressing the precipitate. or. in certain of the combinations above mentioned, the fusion of the intimately mixed oxides of the metals, or the metals themselves.

In the course of researches leading to this I invention I have found that certain organic compounds, such as thiophene, which are but little, if any, afiected by the action of nickel or other known catalysts, may be converted into-hydrogen sulfide, although at a somewhat lowerrate than whenthe or nic sulfur consists exclusively of carbon disulfide.

Wherever in the claims the term metal is 1. The process of converting organic sulsubjecting said gas at a temperature above fur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in a gas containing elementary hydrogen and which may be free from oxygen and water vapor which comprises reacting a portion of said hydrogen with organic sulfur by subjecting said gas at a temperature above 200 C. to the action of a solid catalyst containing at least one metal included in the sixth and seventh groups of the periodic system of the elements in combination with atleast one of the following named elements: copper. cerium, thorium, and antimony.

2. The process of converting organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in a gas containing elementary hydrogen and which may be free from oxygen and water vapor whlch consistsin reacting at least a portion:

of said hydrogen with organic sulfur by subjectin said gas at a temperature above 200 C. to t e action of a solid catalyst containin r a combination of at least one metal include in the sixth and seventh groups of the peri-' odic system with cerium.

4. The process of treating gas containing elementary hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide and organlc sulfur compounds which comprises ehmlnatln the greater part of the hydrogen sulfide and causing at least a portion of the sald hydrogen to react with organic sulfur by then subjecting the gas to the action of a solid catalyst containing at least one metal -1ncluded in the sixth and seventh groups of the perlodic system of elements in com'bi nation with at least one of the following named elements: copper, cerium, thorium,

and antimony.

5. The process of converting organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in a gas containing elementary hydrogen and which may be free from oxygen and water vapor, which consists in reacting at least a portion of said hydrogen with organic sulfur by subectmg said gasat a temperature above 200 (J. to the actlon of a solid catalystcontaining a combination of at least one metal included in the sixth group of the periodic system with copper.

6. The process of converting organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in agas containing elementary hydrogen, and which Ymay be free from oxygen and water vapor,

which consists in reacting at least a portion of said hydrogen with organic sulfur by 200 C. to the action of a solid catalyst containing a combination of at least one metal included in the sixth group of the periodic system with cerium.

7. The process of converting organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in a gas containing elementary hydrogen and considerable quantities of other organic compounds and which may be free from oxygen and water vapor w ich comprises reactin a portion of said hydrogen with organic su fur by subjecting said gas at a temperature above 200 C. to the action of a solid catalyst containing at least one metal included in the sixth and seventh groups of the periodic system of the elements in combination with at least one of the following named elements: copper, cerium, thorium, and antimony.

8. The process of converting organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in a gas containing elementary hydrogen and considerable amounts of other organic compounds and which may be free from oxygen and water vapor which consists in reacting at least a portion of said hydrogen with organic sulfur by subjecting said gas at a temperature above 200 C. .to the action of a solid catalyst containing a combination of at least one metal included in the sixth and seventh groups of the periodic system with copper.

1 9. The process of converting organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in a gas containing elementary hydrogen and considerable quantities of other organic compounds and which may be free from oxygen and water vapor which comprises reacting a portion of said hydrogen with organic sulfur by subjecting said gas at a temperature above 200 C. to the action of a solid catalyst consisting of a combination of at least one metal included in the sixth and seventh groups of the periodic system with cerium.

10. The process of treating gas containing elementary hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide and organic sulfur compounds and considerable quantities of other organic compounds which comprises eliminating the greater part of the hydrogen sulfide and causing at least a portion of the said hydrogen to react with organic sulfur by then subjecting the gas to the action of a solid catalyst containing at least one metal included in the sixth and seventh groups of the periodic system of elements in combination with at least one of the following named elements: copper, cerium, thorium, and antimony.

11. The process of converting organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen sulfide in a gas containing elementary hydrogen and considerable amounts of other organic sulfur com.- pounds, and which may be free from oxygen and water vapor, which consists in reacting at least a portion of said hydrogen with organic sulfur by subjecting said gas at a temperature above 200 C. to the action of a solid catalyst containing a combination of at least one metal included in the sixth group 5 of the periodic system with copper.

12. The process of convertin organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen su fide in a gas containing elementary hydrogen and considerable amounts of other organic cmpounds,

and which may be free from oxygen and water vapor, which consists in reacting at m least a portion of said hydrogen with organic sulfur 'by subjecting said gas at a temperature above 200 C. to the action of a 15 solid catalyst containing a combination of at least one metal included in the sixth group of the periodic system with cerium. 13. The process of convertin organic sulfur compounds to hydrogen su fide ina gas '20 containing elementary hydrogen and considerable amounts of other organic compounds, and which may be free from oxygen and. water vapor, which consists in reacting at least a portion of said hydrogen with or- 25 ganic sulfur by subjecting said gas at a temperature above 200 C. to the action of a solid catalyst containing a combinationlof at least one metal included in the sixth group of the periodic system with thorium.

14. The process of converting organic sulfur to hydrogen sulfide in gas containing hydrogen which consists in subjecting said gas to the action of a catalyst consisting of a mixture of at least one of the metals of the sixth group of the periodic system with copper at a temperature above 200 C. t

'15. The method of converting organic sulfur to hydrogen sulfide in gas containin hydrogen which consists in subjecting gas to the action of a catalyst consisting initially I of a mixture ofcerium with at least one of the metals of the sixth group of the periodic system.

16. The method of converting organic sulfur to hydrogen sulfide in gas containin hydrogen,'which consists in subjecting said gas to the action of a catalyst consisting of an intimate mixture of uranium and cerium at a temperature above 200 C. 17. The method of converting organic sul-' fur to hydrogen sulfide in gas containing hydrogen, which consists in subjecting said gas to the action. of a catalystconsisting of an intimate mixture of uranium and copper at a temperature above 200 C. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. Y

' "oscan w. LUSBYQ 

